Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-16
"ENNUI HOUSE," ="
CHAPTER 1.

AN invitation 20 'Ennul house -an
urgent, peremptory invitation
The four sisters gathered round the
open window in their pretty drawing.
room, and looked at each other in dis
may. Fond as they were of good old
Aunt Judy, is was an invitation which
no one was anxious 20 accept just then.
Next week at Drowsytown would be
astir with the festivities of the annual
tennis tournament, closely followed by a
grand fete and garden party, in cele-
bration of distinguished and unusual
birthday. For Sir Stephen Lang hams
son and heir did not come of age every
year.
Nevertheless this was an invitation
which must not be disregarded.
'How many has Aunt Judy invited:"
said Francesca, in q tone of evident re.
sentiment.
"Only one," answered Barbara, with
pleasant smile.
"Oh, then Geraldine had better 60,
as she is the youngest.
Pretty Geraldine grew very red, and
looked distressed-a circumstance which
gave rise to a good deal of good.natured
banter among the girls, until Gabrielle,
who had been reading the letter over
Barbara's shoulder, broke in with
"It is too bad of you to tease so,
Francesca. You need not bother about
it; I'll 60. I don't mind"
At Gabrielle's decided tone Barbara
looked up quickly.
Nonsense, Gay! I shall 60, of
course"
Barbara was accustomed to be an
oracle to her sisters. Ever since they
had been children she had taken the
dear dead mothers place, and, though
Frauleia, their old governess, was now
housekeeper and chaperone to their
elder years, it was Barbara to whom the
younger sisters looked, and who must
decide all Questions and disputes. But
on this subject Gabrielle was determined
to have her own way. In spite of the
entresties and protestations of her
sisters, she remained firm; bringing for
ward SO many good reasons why she
should 90 to "Ennui House" that her
sisters began to believe that she was
really anxious to assist Aunt Judy's pet
curate, Mr.. Slack, in looking after the
wants of his parish.
"What about the duet, Geraldine?"
she added, as the sound of footsteps in
the hall sent that blushing little damsel
flying to the mirror to arrange her hair.
"Here comes Mr.. Tom Forrest to prac.
tlce it,"
"And Cousin Augustus" said Fran.
cesca, sinking into chair. Don't you
hear him numbering up the stairs?"
II am afraid Mr.. Forrest will never
know that duet" remarked Barbara.
'"Well, we must talk over Aunt Judy's
letter with Fraulein by and BY"
For the entrance of Cousin Augustus
at that moment, followed by a tall, good.
looking young man, put an end to the
conversation.
CHAPTER II.
A low, large, irregular, picturesque
house, standing in the midst of an old
fashioned rambling garden. The small
diamond. .paned windows smiled out
through clusters of pink and white
roses; honeysuckle and sweet peas
clambered up the porch. Over the red
roof the high, faint, far.away tree tops
stood sleeping against the quiet blue
sky; there was not breath of wind to
wake them, not breath to stir the cool
shadows on the cleaning lawn. The
white curtains hung in unrutiied starch
ness in the airy drawing.room, whose
windows, opening out on the lawn, dis
closed the spacious dim interior into
which the long shadows stretched
Wide, pleasant, cool, well.ordered,
smothered to the very roof in flowers,
fragrant with all the delicious odors of
June, Leafy Hall looked as if it scarcely
deserved the somewhat ungracious
sJriquet of "Ennui House." Even the
absolute stiffness which prevailed the
place could scercely warrant so harsh
title.
1t was o bright June morning. No.
thing but the monotonous hum of
bees broke the silence of the
drowsy afternoon hours, for the mistress
of the house was taking nap under
the great wide spreading chestnut tree
on the lawn. An imposing, portly per.
sonage was Aunt Judy, with brown curls
waving on either side of her face,
round, pleasant rosy countenance,
suggestion of eyebrows and doubly
double chin. She was dressed in airy
muslin gown, with large fowery pat.
tern on white ground, which, with the
cap ornamented with roses and pink
ribbons that surmounted the brown
curls, gave her somewhat gay appear
ance. Her hands were resting on her
lap, her eyes closed, her head nodding
forward, while her knitting, eluding her
otherwise busy fingers, was slowly slid.
ing over the lilac edge. The gay woods
were already scattered in bright profu-
sion on the grass. for tiny black kitten
with impish eyes was making the most
of its opportunities. 1t seized the blue
ball in its mouth, shook it, and carried
it a little way, when long string of
pale yellow, cleaning on the green
grass, attracted its attention. The blue
ball was instantly abandoned, and away
it went. catching its little feet In the
red and brown, and rolling over and
over in its efforts to get free again.
What q little torment that Kitten was !!
Aunt Judy could keep nothing. tidy.
It was everlastingly in her work basket
upsetting everything; and only yester'
day, when the rector was drinking tea
with her, that unlucky kitten, seized
with an inquisitive fit, clambered up the
back of the old lady's chair and came
tumbling down into the very middle OF
her cup.
When Gabrielle, the dear long.lost
I. neice's daughter, came down week ago
to stay with her, Aunt Judy had said;
''Now, Gay, my dear, shall expect
you to keep your eye upon that kitten,
for never can tell what it is going to
do next"
And from that time Gay had kept her
eye upon the kitten, anticipating every
contemplated raid upon Aunt Judy's
property, except upon that one o'ession